What two goods were the base of the wealth for the major West African empires?

What two goods were the base of the wealth for the major West African empires?

In the ancient empire of Mali, the most important industry was the gold industry, while the other trade was the trade in salt. Much gold was traded through the Sahara desert to the countries on the North African coast. The gold mines of West Africa provided great wealth to West African Empires such as Ghana and Mali.

Which two trade goods were the most important to the African trading empires?

What were Ghana’s two most important trade items? Gold was found in a forest region between the Niger and Senegal rivers. 2/3s of the world’s gold came from West Africa. Where was gold found in Ghana?

What caused the resources of Ghana to decline?

There were a number of reasons for Ghana’s decline. The King lost his trading monopoly. At the same time drought was beginning to have a long term effect on the land and its ability to sustain cattle and cultivation. There is an Arab tradition that the Almoravid Muslims came down from the North and invaded Ghana.

What items did the Wangarans want to trade for?

Wangarans traded Gold silently because they wanted to keep it a secret. They wanted to keep the location of the gold mines a secret. They would rather give up their lives than reveal the secret.

What did the people of Ghana use for money?

The main source of wealth for the Empire of Ghana was the mining of iron and gold. Iron was used to produce strong weapons and tools that made the empire strong. Gold was used to trade with other nations for needed resources like livestock, tools, and cloth.

Why did the traders use a silent barter system?

Silent trade might be used because of an inability to speak the other traders’ language, or to protect the secrets of where the valuable gold and salt came from. Silent bartering has been used since ancient times, such as the ancient Ghana Empire.

What was most commonly exchanged for salt?

Some items for which the salt was traded include gold, ivory, slaves, skins, kola nuts, pepper, and sugar.

Who is the largest producer of mica in the world?

India